Asymptotic rigidity of Hadamard 2-spaces (Q1592422)

Locally compact, geodesically complete 2-dimensional Hadamard spaces whose Tits ideal boundaries have the minimal diameter equal to \( \pi \), are classified. Moreover, the author gives a classification of the universal covering spaces of certain 2-dimensional nonpositively curved spaces. This is an extension of the result obtained in the polyhedral case by \textit{W. Ballmann} and \textit{M. Brin} [Publ. Math., Inst. Hautes Étud. Sci. 82, 169-209 (1995; Zbl 0866.53029)] and by \textit{S. Barré} [Ann. Inst. Fourier 45, No. 4, 1037-1059 (1995; Zbl 0831.53031)].